With furious waves, the sea at Mahālakṣmi was swelling. A beautiful night in the month of Phāgaṇ was spreading its silvery ebony blackness in all directions. The moon was travelling through the sky in full splendor. All creation was still and quiet, but the tempestuous waves of the sea, that mine of jewels, occasionally dashing against the rocks, were disturbing the “reign of peace.” In a few trees, small hidden birds were singing the praises of the creator of the universe with their beautiful songs on that silvery night. The majesty of the surroundings seemed charming, and the appearance was pleasant. The sweet intoxication of the wind brought joy to the soul.

“10:05! How you torture me!” At the side of that swelling sea, seated on a pretty rock of the boundary-stone, a Parsi youth was pining away looking at his watch. “I’ve been waiting here for an hour, but the end of my wait has not yet come. What a careless girl! Though she promised ‘I’ll certainly come between 9:30 and 9:45,’ why has she not yet come? Perhaps there was some presumed obstacle so that she couldn’t leave? However she may like, but by giving me an agreement, she oughtn’t wait until late without coming. It’s still 10:05. I’ll stay for another 25 minutes and wait for her until 10:30, and if she doesn’t reach by then, I’ll know she isn’t coming today and leave. Ah, what a beautiful night it is! How the waves, competing with one another, cause a storm to swell up! How silence seizes all creation except for the sea! Ah! No poet could possibly describe such beautiful surroundings! I remember a song composed by that Diljān about the moonlit night; I ought to sing a little so that I can get my mind off of this and pass the time."

That handsome boy put his watch in his pocket, and began to sing the song below:

To the tune of: “Say, where I shall drink your love, Perin my beloved.”

Strange your actions seem, strange. Ahura, you are (my) support.
Say, o Murāri of the world! Where isn’t your love?
What arrangement does your creation have? What strange quality has this moonlight?
The silvery night has become beautiful. There is a heavy tide in the sea.
The white evening is an alluring beloved, say men and women.
The sweet wind brings joy. What a beautiful scene, like a garden in spring.

Chorus:
Give us your love, o God. The world is all yours.
What a heart and soul (diljān) have you given to the birds and mankind!

Strange your actions seem, strange.

Just as the youth finished the last verse of the song “What a heart and soul you have given to the birds and mankind!” a slender hand was placed on his back, and a question came forth, “Really – Diljān? Whom are you thinking of?”

“Who is it – Perin? How late, dear?” The youth was at first a bit startled, then asked laughingly.

“Forgive me, Dādibā. I’m a little late, but what could I do? Since father was going on and on with his lecture on “Women’s Education,” I was a little late coming. While he was sitting in the garden chatting with mother, I managed to slip away on an excuse, taking my ayah with me, running in the moonlight.”

“I ran here from the get-go thinking that you wouldn’t come late without a reason. I believe your story, but where is your ayah?”

“I left her waiting at a distance. Look, she’s waiting over there.”

“She’s not a blabbermouth, right?” the boy asked while lovingly holding the beautiful girl’s hand.

“No, no, Dādibā, she’s my trusted ayah. I told her from the beginning that I had come here to meet someone, and that sir and ma’am should not find out about it.”

“OK, Perin dear. Were there not your protection, they would arrest me instantly coming and going to your house. One shouldn’t count one’s chickens before they hatch. So, now, begging your permission to ask, have you thought about that question of mine?”

“Yes, Dādibā, I’ve thought it over.”

“And what have you decided?”

“There’s no need to say it. My presence here alone proves that if I didn’t want you, I wouldn’t have come to this place to meet you.”

“Perin, Perin, dear Perin!” The boy gave the beautiful girl an impassioned kiss on her head and said with a happy face, “I shall consider (literally ‘write’) this day as the greatest day of my life! I consider myself truly fortunate to have gotten the acceptance of your love these days.”

“And likewise, Dādibā, I am no less happy than you. I too consider myself fortunate to have received such true compassion and love from a loving heart and soul like you."

“That’s all good, but dear Perin, will your father accept such a pure love between me and you?” that youth asked with a sudden sad face, and from this question, there was a little change on Perin’s face, that without recognizing it, her waiting eyes began to gaze off. “Your father will be pleased by a loving match between you and me, won’t he?”

“That remains a question, Dādibā, and that question incapacitates all my hopes.” While saying this, beautiful Perin’s eyes shone so much that the bright luster of the moon could not remain hidden.

“What use is this sadness, dear?” the boy comforted the beautiful girl. “Seeing you sad like this pierces my heart (lit. liver). From the first day that I saw you, you had conquered my heart. For many months, I kept my feelings hidden, but when I realized that you wanted me too, I made my love known. I believe in God’s beneficence since you have accepted my love, but we must climb over a great mountain to reach the end result of that love. Perin, dear Perin, what are you worried about, that your father will find out about the love between you and me, and that we will be separated because of him?”

Here Perin began to cry.

“Have patience, dear. Don’t be so utterly senseless.”  Dādi, caressing Perin’s rosy cheek lovingly, giving hope, said, “God is watching over us (literally, our Lord is on our heads). The world may forsake us, but the Creator will not forsake. Your father will not approve of the steps we have taken?”

“No, Dādibā, no! My proud father’s arrogance has no end!” Perin said. “My father will never approve of this step that I have taken. Though you have lovingly won me over, I do not know what end this love will come to.”

Dādi became despondent and struck his head with his hand.

“Don’t lose hope like this, Dādibā!” Seeing that he had become anxious, Perin reassured him. “After learning my true circumstances, your face has become pale, but have hope! Once I have made room for you in my heart, that heart will never give anyone else a place.”

“So how should I hold on, Perin?”

“By a promise.”

“A promise?”

“Yes. The world goes forth with faith in promises. Take my word. Until (we reach) God’s house, by a pure promise of pure love, from today on, I bind myself with you, and will always be yours.” Saying this, Perin gave Dādi a promise.

“But fulfilling this promise will arouse your father’s anger – what about that, Perin dear?” Recalling that undesired thought, Dādi sought her response.

“With this promise that I have given you, my mind will destroy this opposition, and I shall suffer it with patience, my dear Dādi.” Perin showed her feelings. “In front of the temple of love, father’s anger isn't even worth taking into account. Because of loving you, father may perhaps expel me from town and house, but I will endure it all – to endure for a beloved future husband like you, I will always be ready. Yet what I want now is of no use to me. The only thing necessary to me is my beloved, and that beloved is none other than you, you, and you, my heart and soul, the soul of my heart, dear Dādi.” Speaking thus, Perin became affectionate and gave Dādi a passionate kiss on his head.

Dādi was very pleased from this emotional conversation and the behavior of his beloved. A true lover always is pleased in this way. He desired Perin with such endless love; returning her kind deed, he filled her rosy cheeks with kisses – in this manner, a “love scene” concludes here.